In this special article, Sportz Point explores the footballers in international football who played crucial roles in their team's success but often remained underrated.
Football is a sport that often brings limelight to certain footballers but sometimes keeps many at bay. Around football discussions worldwide, these footballers are not mentioned often, even after achieving significant accolades.
Talking about the underrated footballers in International football, we must understand that it is very different from club football. It is tougher to leave a mark except performing in the continental and World Cup-like tournaments in every four years.
However, these footballers have always performed masterfully well while donning their national kit, bringing noteworthy achievements to their respective nations. Still, they have remained underrated in the consideration of either the fans or the football pundits.
Sportz Point explores the top 20 most underrated players in international football in this special article. This list is not a rank, but a summarisation of some underrated footballers who deserve more praise.
Top 20 Most Underrated Players in International Football
Angel Di Maria
- National team: Argentina
- Position: Right Winger
- Appearances: 145
- Goals: 31
- Assists: 32
Notable trivia: Angel Di Maria is not given the importance he deserves for the recent successes of the Argentina National team. The 36-year-old winger retired from international football in July 2024, leaving behind an unmatched legacy.
Most importantly, Di Maria won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles in 2020 and 2024, and the Finalissima 2022, as he scored in each of the finals for Argentina except for the 2024 Copa, showing his towering presence for the national team.
Di Maria remained underrated for the gigantic presence of Lionel Messi as his teammate, but nothing can belittle his huge contribution to Argentina's recent success of winning four trophies in four years.
Thomas Muller
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- National team: Germany
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Appearances: 131
- Goals: 45
- Assists: 41
Notable trivia: Thomas Muller has 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 World Cup appearances for Germany. The attacking midfielder registered 5 goals and 3 assists in his first-ever World Cup campaign in 2010, earning him the Golden Boot.
In the following World Cup, Muller was pivotal in Germany's World Cup glory, having scored 5 goals and 3 assists. Although he lost the Golden Ball to Lionel Messi that year, Muller was undoubtedly the best player of the German team, along with Manuel Neuer and Miroslav Klose.
Muller won the 2014 World Cup and finished third in EURO 2012 with Germany, as he retired in July 2024 after Germany's elimination from the EURO 2024.
Olivier Giroud
- National team: France
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 137
- Goals: 57
- Assists: 15
Notable trivia: Despite playing for a country that produced goalscorers such as Thierry Henry, Michel Platini, Karim Benzema, and David Trezeguet, Olivier Giroud tops the list of the all-time top scorers for the France national team with 57 goals.
Giroud's achievements are often overlooked both at the international and club levels, though he is one of the best French footballers of this generation. Giroud finished the EURO 2016 as the joint second-highest scorer, with 3 goals and 2 assists.
Giroud was also part of the 2018 World Cup and 2021 Nations League-winning France team, providing significant contributions to the team. He also scored 4 goals for France in the 2022 World Cup. However, the striker retired from international football in July 2024.
Davor Šuker
- National team: Croatia
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 68
- Goals: 45
- Assists: 6
Notable trivia: Davor Šuker is arguably the greatest Croatian footballer ever, leaving an unparalleled legacy behind him for the national team.
The year 1998 is popularly known as the 'Davor Šuker Year' among football fans, as the forward led the Croatia team to a third-place finish in the 1998 World Cup. He also scored 6 goals in 7 appearances in the tournament to earn the Golden Boot.
Šuker also won the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament in 1998 WC. He is the top Croatian goalscorer of all time as well, bagging 45 goals in 68 official appearances before retiring in 2002.
Antoine Griezmann
- National team: France
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Appearances: 137
- Goals: 44
- Assists: 38
Notable trivia: Antoine Griezmann achieved innumerable honours with the France national team, but sadly, is often not regarded as one of the greatest international footballers ever.
Griezmann led France to a second-place finish in EURO 2016, scoring 6 goals and 2 assists to win the Golden Boot. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in that edition.
However, Griezmann achieved his first senior international silverware in 2018, when France won the World Cup in Russia. The attacking midfielder was crucial for the team with a tally of 4 goals and the tournament-most of 4 assists, also being named the third-best player of the tournament.
Apart from the 2021 UEFA Nations League title, Girezmann orchestrated the French attack in the 2022 World Cup, providing three assists to be the joint-top assist provider. However, he retired from international football in September 2024.
Sergio Busquets
- National team: Spain
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
- Appearances: 143
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 9
Notable trivia: We all are yet to see a central-defensive midfielder in modern football who has such a high IQ in reading the game, such as Sergio Busquets.
Busquets was popularly called 'Octopus' for his immaculate passing ability and intimidating defensive screening without breaking a sweat most of the time. the Spanish midfielder became the heart of Barcelona but his contribution was often overlooked at the national team level.
In a star-studded midfield with Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, Busquets emerged as the only one of his kind, making significant contributions to Spain's World Cup glory in 2010 and EURO 2012 victory. Busquets retired from international football in December 2022.
Hugo Lloris
- National team: France
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Appearances: 145
- Clean sheets: 68
Notable trivia: It is said in football, that being a goalkeeper is a 'thankless job'. Goalkeepers are always the last guardian of a team, but their contributions are hugely overlooked. Hugo Lloris, the former French goalkeeper is a burning example of that sensation.
Lloris kept three clean-sheets in all 7 appearances for France in the World Cup 2018, leading the team to the final glory. The French custodian has kept a staggering 68 clean-sheets overall for France in 145 appearances.
He also captained the Les Bleus in three World Cup editions from 2014 to 2022. Lloris retired from the national team in January 2023, being the most-capped player for France in history.
Edin Džeko
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- National team: Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 139
- Goals: 67
- Assists: 29
Notable trivia: Edin Džeko is not often mentioned as one of the best international footballers in the modern era, only because he represents a country like Bosnia, that mostly fail to apear in big tournaments.
Yet Džeko, the greatest Bosnian footballer, led the Bosnia team to its first-ever World Cup appearance in 2014 after scoring a whopping 10 goals to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round.
He also scored 9 goals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying round to be the second-top scorer in the qualification round as well. Džeko also ranks sixth among the active footballers with most international goals.
Michael Laudrup
- National team: Denmark
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 103
- Goals: 37
- Assists: 14
Notable trivia: Michael Laudrup is often considered the greatest Danish footballer of all time, yet he doesn't always receive the full recognition that his remarkable talent deserves. He delivered outstanding performances for Denmark, scoring 37 goals in 103 appearances.
Laudrup won the 1995 Confederations Cup with Denmark, providing commendable performances throughout the tournament. German legend Franz Beckenbauer praised the Danish midfielder in the best possible way, saying, “Pele was the best in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s, and Laudrup in the 90s.”
Gabriel Batistuta
- National team: Argentina
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 78
- Goals: 56
- Assists: 14
Notable trivia: Gabriel Batistuta was nicknamed 'Batigol' for his ability to score from almost anywhere on the pitch with unmatched power and precision.
Batistuta was mostly recognized for his inhuman performance in the 1991 Copa America, as Argentina won the title and he was the highest goalscorer of the tournament with 6 goals. He won his second Copa with Argentina in 1993, scoring a brace in the final.
Although he could not achieve the coveted success in the World Cups, Batistuta was one of the greatest footballers for Argentina in the World Cups, with 10 goals in 12 appearances.
Andrea Pirlo
- National team: Italy
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 116
- Goals: 13
- Assists: 25
Notable trivia: Current UEFA vice-president and former Polish footballer Zbigniew Boniek praised Andrea Pirlo by saying something that probably best defines the Italian midfielder. He stated, "To pass the ball to Andrea Pirlo is like to hide it in a safe."
Andrea Pirlo is inarguably one of the most prolific playmakers who ever graced the football pitch. Famous for his outstanding passing and free-kick skills, Pirlo was essential to Italy's victory in the 2006 World Cup. Pirlo won three man of the match awards in the tournament, most by any player in that edition.
Retiring in 2017, Pirlo remains one of the supreme players who played exceptionally well at international levels, but the recognition was never enough to praise the midfied maestro.
Ronald Koeman
- National team: Netherlands
- Position: Defender
- Appearances: 78
- Goals: 14
- Assists: 10
- National team: Netherlands
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 76
- Goals: 42
- Assists: 12
Notable trivia: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is often overlooked among the contemporary Dutch stars of his generation. The forward is the third-highest goalscorer for the Dutch national team, with 42 goals.
Although he had a brief appearance in the 2010 World Cup, Huntelaar proved himself crucial for the team, scoring the most goals (12) in the 2012 European championship qualification round.
However, he was also a part of the Netherlands squad that finished third in the 2014 World Cup. He retired in 2021 but never got the recognition he deserved.
George Best
- National team: Northern Ireland
- Position: Winger
- Appearances: 37
- Goals: 9
- Assists: 0
Notable trivia: "Maradona Good, Pele Better, George Best" is the greatest quotation that can define how good George Best was. The Irish winger is also considered as the greatest footballer who never played in a World Cup.
Despite having immense talent and potential, he is often overlooked in the discussion of the greatest footballers. He was named European Player of the Year in 1968, delivering consistent performance for his club and national team.
If he did not struggle with his self-destructing lifestyle, he may have achieved more accolades with Northern Ireland before retiring in 1982.
Gheorghe Hagi
- National team: Romania
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Appearances: 124
- Goals: 35
- Assists: 23
Notable trivia: Gheorghe Hagi was such a good player that he was nicknamed "Maradona of the Carpathians". The attacking midfielder was also called 'Regele', which translates to 'The King' for his immaculate shooting ability, playmaking skills, and vision on the pitch.
The attacking midfielder was the heart of an exciting Romania team of the 1990s. Hagi put up a memorable performance for Romania in the 1994 World Cup, scoring 3 goals and providing 4 assists to lead the team to the quarter-finals, where they eventually lost against Sweden.
He retired in 2001 but still holds the record for the most goals scored for the Romania national team, alongside Adrian Mutu, with 35 goals.
Günter Netzer
- National team: Germany
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 37
- Goals: 6
- Assists: 9
Notable trivia: Günter Netzer played an integral role in Germany's 1972 European Championship victory.
The midfielder provided two assists in the semi-final of the tournament, inspiring a 2-1 win over Belgium.
Netzer was also included in the 1974 World Cup squad for Germany. Although he did not play in the final, Netzer is still regarded as the first World Cup winner who, at the time of his victory, played for a club based outside his home country.
Despite not having many opportunities to represent the national team, he was often considered as one of the best German footballers in the 70s.
Hristo Stoichkov
- National team: Bulgaria
- Position: Winger
- Appearances: 83
- Goals: 37
- Assists: 8
Notable trivia: Hristo Stoichkov was the standout performer in the 1994 World Cup as he inspired Bulgaria to a fourth-place finish and was awarded the Golden Boot for being the top scorer with 6 goals. In the tournament, he scored in the shock wins against Argentina in the Group stage and against Germany in the quarter-finals.
Stoichkov, who re-defined the 'inverted winger' role in world football, scored 37 goals in 83 games for the Bulgarian national team before retiring from international football in 1999.
Gaetano Scirea
- National team: Italy
- Position: Sweeper Defender
- Appearances: 78
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 1
Notable trivia: Despite Franco Baresi's absence, Gaetano Scirea was pivotal in Italy’s victorious 1982 World Cup-winning campaign. The defender, who played mostly as a sweeper, remained underrated due to his contemporary Italian defenders.
Playing for a country where the best defenders are born and brought up, Scirea always stayed out of the recognition. His untimely death at the age of 36 in 1989 also restricted his legacy.
Rudi Völler
- National team: Germany
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 90
- Goals: 47
- Assists: 18
Notable trivia: Rudi Völler was a very dependable player striker at both club and international levels. He came off the bench to equalize in the 1986 World Cup Final after scoring in the semi-final against France. Unfortunately, the Germans lost the final against Argentina. However, after four years, he played a crucial role for Germany that became World Champions in 1990, scoring 3 goals and 2 assists.
His contemporary Jurgen Klinsmann always received the highlight for the Germans, but it can not tear down his achievements with the national team. Völler's international goal-scoring record is impressive with a staggering 47 goals in 90 caps.
Matthias Sammer
- National team: Germany
- Position: Defensive/Central Midfielder
- Appearances: 51
- Goals: 8
- Assists: 3
Notable trivia: Matthias Sammer was sometimes overlooked compared to their contemporary Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. However, he played a crucial role in Germany's victory at the 1996 European Championship, where he was named the tournament's best player.
The midfielder also won the Ballon d'Or in 1996 and was also named the German Footballer of the Year in 1996, after earning the same accolade in 1995.
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